Sitting on the runway was an Air Asia Airbus. We could not believe it was really there. Were we dreaming? Would we wake up in our hotel room with BBC World News telling us that the volcano was erupting anew? Would we, at the last moment be turned away from the steps that were our personal Stairway To Heaven, to find ourselves back on the airport bus, on the journey to KL, which by now I could do in my sleep? As we got nearer the steps, the reality got nearer too. We were going home!
Soon we were in a long queue of fellow passengers (mostly, unfortunately, Brits) standing in the sweltering heat at the bottom of the magic stairway. For some reason a last test of our resolve was needed. There was some kind of delay at the top. Hard to keep a smile on your face at this stage. Trish managed it....I didn't. No change there then!
Slowly but surely, the last few passengers boarded the plane and the doors closed. There we sat in the stifling heat, why wasn't the air con on, some late and disasterous malfunction? Time passed, as slowly as the second hands on the counterfeit watches for sale on the streets of Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. The captain came on, trying to raise spirits. An expectant audience waited for the engines to start. Suddenly, there was a jolt and the plane started to move....backwards, away from it's parking bay. Spontaneous applause broke out in the cabin. Collectively held breaths were exhaled, the air conditioning kicked in, we rolled out onto the runway. Stand by......Engage. The big bird trundled down the runway, fully laden, aching for airspeed. In my seat I willed it into the air, almost straining against my seat belt. After what seemed an age I felt the nose come up and like Tom Cundell (Winged Victory) in his Sopwith Camel, I felt the elation of flight. We were on our way home.
Welcome home :)
ReplyDeleteNICE! Something to remember or not?!
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